COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOFTBALL / SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PLAYOFFS : Rancho Santiago Slams Into State Tournament

Rancho Santiago smashed its way into the State tournament with an 8-1 victory over Antelope Valley in a Southern California regional final Saturday in Santa Ana.

The Dons had 13 hits and were able to take advantage of a tired Antelope Valley team that already had played twice Saturday.

Rancho Santiago, playing in its first game of the day, was well rested. The Dons, the Orange Empire Conference champions, play Friday in the first round of the eight-team State tournament at Riverside. The pairings will be announced Monday.

Rancho Santiago, the designated visitor, held a 2-1 lead going into the sixth.

Renee Taylor started the inning with a sharp single to left. After a sacrifice, Becky Ericksen homered over the left-center field fence. It was her first of the season.

Ericksen, one of several Dons to use a new titanium bat, also had a double to the fence in right-center in the second inning.

The Dons turned the game into a blowout with four runs in the seventh.

Christina Mazurie (two hits) and Kristi Bolle (two hits) started the rally with singles. Courtney Kerley followed with an RBI double. Taylor then doubled in two runs.

Grizelda Lopez capped the inning with an RBI single. It was one of three hits she had in the game.

“We needed (to hit) like that,” Rancho Santiago Coach Kim Nutter said. “We have that kind of potential. We need to hit well because our pitching isn’t that strong.”

Strong or not, Amy Tessman, the conference pitcher of the year, turned in another courageous performance Saturday.

She was a passenger in a car that was involved in an automobile accident earlier this week, and since has been bothered by a sore back and neck.

But she put aside the pain and pitched a nine-hitter against Antelope Valley. Tessman (21-7) was helped by the defense, which turned double plays in the first and fourth innings.

Rancho Santiago opened the scoring in the second, when Ericksen doubled and Lopez singled and both scored on throwing errors.

Antelope Valley (33-14) beat Pasadena, 5-2, and Mt. San Antonio, 3-1, earlier Saturday.